Summer is winding down and school is starting (or already started in many places). Judah finished up SoccerTots, and judging by the photo above, he probably didn't learn much about soccer but I know he really enjoyed going each week. At this young age, the program is really focusing on learning basic soccer skills (soccer stance, kicking the ball, etc.) while adding in a lot of fun little side games to learn team building skills. He had a blast.
Right after Labor Day, Judah will start going to a Moms Day Out (MDO) at one of our local churches. I withdrew him from the preschool and decided on this instead and I feel really good about it. Judah already knows his alphabet, can write most of the letters and spells his name, counts to way beyond 10 and is ready to start reading. In either program (the preschool or MDO) he won't learn anything more than the basics that he already knows, so I went with what is more convenient for me. The MDO is 2 minutes down the road from our house, while the preschool is 15 minutes each way. The MDO is scheduled 9AM til 2PM, and preschool is 8:30AM til 11:30AM. I think most moms can relate to why I chose the MDO instead. 😉
We travel a lot. That's what happens when you have no family near you and many friends across the country. Last week, we drove what's supposed to be 10 ½ hours to Winston-Salem, NC to visit Ben's family. But, with two young kids in tow, it took us 13 ½ hours. We did it in one day and I couldn't be more proud of how well the boys did in the car! I'm not surprised, though, because Judah has traveled a ton since the day he was born and Simon is just following suit. 🙂
It was fun to see the cousins together and spend time with this lady, my awesome sister-in-law. Heather is seriously one of the most amazing moms and auntie ever! And, she's a pretty kick-"butt" sister-in-law, too. 😉 We had a lot of fun together and it only made me wish we lived closer.
One day, Heather and I decided to scoop up the older two kids for a morning trip to Ikea in Charlotte. It was over an hour drive, but Judah and Avery napped on the way there and on the way back, so it was perfect. We did hit some snags in our plan, though. Ikea offers a fun childcare for potty-trained children. You can drop your kids off for an hour (1 ½ hours if you sign up for their free family membership) while you shop. We arrived 45 minutes after they opened and it was already full! 🙁 But, that was more of a blessing than anything because later we found out they had to completely shut down the childcare for a few hours because a kid was sick and threw up. Yikes!
They had a great time with us, anyway, and were really good as Heather and I shopped the entire store. We had to make up a few games for them on the way, but since Heather is a former school teacher, she was a natural at that and made it fun. Maybe someday I'll also tell you the story about how the kids pointed at another shopper with an eye-patch and kept yelling, "MOM! He's a pirate!!" Ahhhh!!!!!
Since Ben's parents live about 6 hours from Winston-Salem (and are soon moving there, too), they drove down a few days after we arrived to spend time with the family. This meant we got double-date night! Clay and Heather took us to a restaurant in downtown Winston-Salem called Willow's Bistro. The food was fantastic. We had homemade chips and roasted veggies for an app, then Ben and I split a salad and black bean burger. It was nice to go out together and just be siblings without kids for a change. 🙂
And, that was our week. We also swam in the pool, shopped at World Market, ate cupcakes and watched movies. But, this is already a novel so I'll spare you the rest of the details. Instead, let's review what's been happening here on the blog.
Recently On Seeded at the Table:
This section highlights the recipes posted recently on Seeded at the Table and other updates to the blog, if any.
Key Lime Donuts - Using refrigerated biscuit dough, this donut includes the traditional ingredients of a key lime pie, sweetened with toasted coconut flakes.
Strawberry Cream Donuts - My favorite strawberry icing and fresh strawberries slathered on top of fried refrigerated biscuit dough.
Loving Lately:
Here I will share with you my favorite things of late, along with other snippets that have caught my eye from some of my favorite blogs and websites.
Do you have any friends in your life who have cool jobs? Ideas? Inventions? We have a few. For example, our neighbors across the street own our local Rocky Chocolate Mountain Factory. Another family around the corner from us are THE DeBeukelaer's. Yeah, I know, right? 😉 A friend from college designs graphic tees focused on sports performance. My childhood friend is an undercover cop in D.C. and my inlaws have a close friend who is high in the ranks within the Food Network community. Not bad, huh? 🙂
Then, yesterday, I published a review by my brother-in-law for another college friend's start up tea business. If you missed it, check it out. If you have a tea lover in your family, this would be the perfect gift! (Visit the post for a discount code on the starter set and their teas that's valid until 8/30/2013.)
Here are other things I'm loving lately:
I Scream Sandwich, by Jennie Schacht - I received this book for review last month and, wow, is it ever a beauty! Jennie has spent years dreaming up countless variations of the ever-loved ice cream sandwich. Straying away from the typical store-bought sandwich found in your grocer's freezer, she takes it many steps further by finding combinations that work for even the more sophisticated palate.
From the classics, to farm fresh, to an international spin of combinations, you are sure to find a new ice cream sandwich favorite. Or, use the helpful tips provided in the book to develop your own concoction! I Scream Sandwich is available on Amazon in hardcover or Kindle version.
Karly Campbell, Buns in my Oven - Do you have a favorite blog or website? I've totally been crushing on Karly Campbell from Buns in my Oven lately. Whenever I'm in need of inspiration or a new recipe for my family, I've found myself turning to her blog very often. Her photography is stunning and she comes up with the most creative recipes. In a time where the Internet is just saturated with food blogs, it is very difficult to come up with something that hasn't already been done. Karly beats the odds and whips out something fresh and delicious multiple times a week! Her website is clean, bright and cheery, and she also has a photography biz. Let's just say, when I grow up, I want to be her. 😉 Karly, great job, lady!
Oval Photography Light Diffuser/Reflector - I recently received this for my birthday and have already used it quite a bit. It's really a reflector, but I had it on my Amazon wish list so I could use it to diffuse harsh light. It's very large, so I'm able to stand it up where it almost covers the entire window. Since it is 43x66-inches, it is nice that it folds up to a small disc that fits into a carrying case. The only thing is I can't figure out how to fold it back up yet, but Ben's got it down so I just have him do it every time. 🙂
Snikiddy Snacks - Are you looking for a healthier, all-natural back to school snack for your young ones? Snikiddy provides snacks that are made from wholesome and real-food ingredients that helps you feel good about sending your child off to school. Easy to pack and available in different varieties, kids (and parents) will love these treats. We sampled them all! My favorite are the Eat Your Vegetables chips that include a full vegetable serving in just one ounce. They even taste like traditional chips, but much healthier! I think Judah's favorite were the Mac 'n Cheese Puffs, although we all were chomping on the Baked Fries, too. I'll definitely be including these in Judah's lunches when he attends Mom's Day Out this fall! Click here to find where you can purchase them and snatch a coupon.
That's it for this Saturday Seeds post. Labor Day is next weekend. Do you have big plans??
